


Good Riddance

by LadyFerrum



Category: Castlevania (Cartoon), 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, I also stared at the art for too long, I played too much Hades, One Shot, Portraits, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, mostly angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27743932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyFerrum/pseuds/LadyFerrum
Summary: There was bitterness now where he once held love for that portrait.
Relationships: Dracula/Lisa (Castlevania)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	Good Riddance

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't going to write post-S3 angst, but I clearly changed my mind.

Curiosity got the best of him he supposed and so the prince took it to himself to explore the castle and all its vast riches within his leisure.

There was one particular hall filled with art that caught the young prince's attention where he ended up spending most of his time admiring the various paintings hanging throughout.

At its center was a portrait of a reclining couple in the likeness of his parents that the prince quickly took favor of: they were seated facing each other on an ancient couch and adorned in elegant robes and gems; the man bearing an upright cornucopia and fruit platter while the woman across extended a hand to the platter, clutching lilies under another arm.

His marveling was interrupted by the booming voice of his father—the king amongst vampires Vlad Dracula— who stood suddenly at the hall's end, causing the prince to flinch away from the painting.

"What are you doing there, Adrian?"

The utterance of his name was enough to make the prince swallow hard, anticipating the trouble he was likely in for having gone through his father's possessions before he spoke.

"Just looking at these paintings, father. They're beautiful, especially this one here," he pointed.

His father strolled slowly to examine the painting he was pointing at, kneeling to the prince's height to gaze along with him.

"Doesn't that couple look like you and mother?"

A rare tender smile stretched across his father's lips while taking in the portrait, the prince visibly relaxing as the prospect of being in trouble seemed to fade.

"It does because they are us, my boy. I commissioned a Florentine artist with my connections to commemorate our wedding, and we modeled for him as King and Queen of the Greek Underworld." 

"You mean Persephone and Hades?" The prince chimed in, all too eager to hear the myths of Ancient Greece again from his father.

Sensing the eagerness, his father turned to give him a look. "Yes, and you're well aware of their stories, aren't you?"

"Persephone was the Goddess of vegetation who was taken unwillingly to be the Queen of the Underworld, but that's not like you and mother at all," The ever-mischievous prince tilted his head in thought before quibbling. "But she's radiant like mother and you have wealth and control over your domain like gruff old Hades does," he was able to beam a grin at his father before withdrawing to melancholic thoughts. "Mother has to leave often like Persephone too. I always miss her whenever she goes home to her village like now."

His father sought to reassure the prince by squeezing the hand around a shoulder. "I miss her as well during these times, but we can visit her anytime unlike gruff old Hades." Tapping thoughtfully a claw to the chin, his father proposed a deal to the prince. "Tell you what, my boy, let's finish up this week's lessons early so we may prepare a trip to see your mother next week, sound good?"

  
  


Slipping from his father's hold, The youthful prince let out an enthusiastic cry as he ran down the hall leading to the study; his father following shortly after to guide him on another lesson in divination.

\--------

Paintings were scattered throughout the hall now in various places, with some beyond repair. Whether from the chaos of his or another violent battle, the much-older prince did not know. All he knew was that one completely survived the onslaught— save for the slight tilt where it hung— to his dismay.

It was not his intention to stop by that hall, for he merely passed by while attempting the grueling task of cleanup of the hardest-hit regions in the castle. If anything, the prince was putting his foolish ideals from childhood to rest in assessing the damage done.

The prince had imagined finding the elaborate portrait of Hades and Persephone destroyed amid the debris but it remained as if in mockery of recent misfortunes. Once a favorite out of his late father's treasures, he only felt envy and hatred for the painting as it served a reminder of what he had and a place denied to him.

His mother departed from him and his father for good at the hands of the church, resulting in his father going mad with grief and plunging the land in darkness in an attempt to reunite with his mother in the afterlife; the prince taking it upon himself to end his own father of his suffering before more harm could be done. He wanted to join them after he had committed the horrific deed but backed down at the urging of his companions. 

Directionless and finally alone, he concerned himself at first with cooking meals and getting enough sleep whilst battling the toll loneliness took on him until he took in two warriors from Nippon who sought out his help. 

The prince reached a hand out to straighten the painting in spite of his hard feelings, a sleeve sliding to reveal scars running down his arm. 

His blood boiled at the sight of the treacherous marks that were inflicted on him by those warriors and his blinded trust of them when they thought otherwise. He made sure to set an example with their now-decaying corpses for those who would dare seek the prince.

If only the prince had joined his parents right after his new friends left him, then none of this would have happened. These burdens, the need to eat and sleep, his parents no longer suffer while he still does for their dear sake and his friends'.

Good riddance then to his former companions, Trevor and Sypha. Good riddance to Taka and Sumi, the warriors of Nippon. Good riddance to all, the embittered prince decided.

The Underworld was richer with his losses, and he could no longer stand the visible reminder. 

With the hand steadying the portrait, the prince lifted it from its mount and flung it across the ruined hall. He stormed out to return to bed; his specific task forgotten and too drained to care or do anymore until slumber granted him his temporary respite of his turmoil before waking and facing it all again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!


End file.
